Pop

If music is food, then pop is candy. Its fun, but not necessarily funny. Romantic,but not overly sentimental. With dance and rhythm at its heart, pop music hasdominated a lot of American music over the past 30 or so years, and manysingers have come and gone. But several have come to be considered thegreatest entertainers of all time: Whitney Houston, Madonna, Prince, and theKing of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Pop Singers

Learn how to control your vibrato without tension. Experiment with different vocal sounds, like short, popping sounds and fast runs. Focus on improving your movement on stage and take dance lessons, if necessary.Famous Pop Singers Tori KellyTori chose a really high key for this song. She also chose to accentuate thelyrics of the song with a short, light texture in her voice. That kind oftexture makes everything easier to sing in your high register.

Whitney Houston

At 2:05 in this video, Whitney uses a fast run on the end of the word all.Notice how she doesnt make it overly dramatic and uses those runs only afew times in the song. Sometimes, too many runs can be distracting fromthe songs message.

Bruno MarsBruno sings tenderly because its a tender song. His voice is so free oftension that he seems to float up into his falsetto.

RockYou might be surprised to learn that rock is a grandchild of the blues. After itbecame heavier and more dance-ably rhythmic, the music began to rock androck and roll was born! It grew up to become rougher and edgier, and now, rockvocal sounds are as diverse as in any other genre.

Today, rock singers include voices as different as Adam Lambert, Tom

Araya of Slayer, James Hetfield of Metallica, and Bono of U2. But that rougherand edgier part of rock has to be, at least in some ways, a defining characteristicof the rock voice. Otherwise, it might be confused with an adult contemporary orpop voice.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Rock Singers

Try out different vocal flairs, like a little growling or vocal fry at the end of song sections, but dont overdo it. Get comfortable singing a huge range of dynamics, from whispers (used sparingly for the health of your voice) to healthy, supported shouting. Dont be afraid of your own vibrato.Famous Rock Singers Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was known for quite a theatrical kind of rock. Noticehow easily he transitions from one dynamic to another, using subtletywhen its needed for effect, and rough growling when the lyrics call for it,like at 2:20.

John Fogerty

In a great example of what I call a defiance rock song, John Fogerty of

Creedence Clearwater Revival sings this song with the emotional sense ofdefiance. He clearly has a hold of being what we now call a singingactor, though its doubtful that the vocals were planned as such.

Ann WilsonIn this video the lead singer of Heart, paying tribute to the legendary rockband Led Zeppelin, keeps a true sense of her own voice, but doesntchange the vocals so much that its disrespectful to the original. Shesclearly not afraid of her own vibrato, using it as a tool to accentuate certainlyrics, like at 4:24.Opera/ClassicalOften considered the most formal and restrictive of all genres of singing, classicaland opera singing actually require the greatest amount of freedom. Much ofits sung with uncontrolled vibrato and total emotional release. It is, however, theleast conversational of all genres. Because it lacks the intimacy of thatconversational quality with the audience (think folk music), it has the tendency togive audiences the impression of admiring a beautiful painting from afar.

The classical genre includes secular arias and religious oratorios, as well asmotets. Opera singing is similar, but its part of a stage production, often involvingdancing and speaking parts. Think of opera as a musical with classical singinginstead of Broadway-style singing.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Opera Singers

Dont try to sound like how you think an opera singer sounds. Sing with an open and free voice. Vibrato sometimes develops over time as we let go of more and more tension. Dont force it or try to create it.

Get a voice teacher. Soon. Opera singing can seldom be taught without a good teacher.Famous Opera and Classical Singers Bryn Terfel

In this incredibly dramatic scene from Mozarts interpretation of the Don

Juan story, Bryn Terfel is the actor in the reddish-brown cloak. Watch howintense and exaggerated his facial expressions are throughout the scene.

Kiri Te KanawaSinging one of the best-loved arias ever written is one of the best-lovedsopranos to have ever lived. Amazingly, this performance was given whenDame Te Kanawa was 69 years old. She is an incredible example of howyou can sing beautifully through your entire life if you take good care ofyour voice.

Marian AndersonMarian Andersons distinguished career is marked not only by fantasticsinging, but also by courageous defiance in the face of racism. After beingrejected by the Daughters of the American Revolution for being a blackperformer, she sang instead for a larger group of supporters, facing thevery building that she was banned from. Her voice is flawless, in spite ofthe shortcomings of the old recordings, but more importantly, her heart canbe heard in everything she sings.In the video above, she sang for a beautiful Christmas program. Notice heralignment. It remains consistent throughout the changes in the song.

CountryAn overly simple way to think of the country genre is fancy folk (read: glossy folkpop). But its had quite a history through the years, having evolved fromAppalachian mountain music, southern blues, country-western and whats calledhonky-tonk.

I recommending listening to many different country voices so that you dont getinto the trap of imitating only the big voices. Think about how different CarrieUnderwoods voice is from Miranda Lamberts. Check out the differencesbetween Hank Williams, Jr. and Luke Bryan. And listen to classic singers likeDolly Parton and Patsy Cline.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Country Singers

Dont force a country accent. If you listen to a lot of country music, then over time, a natural twang will come when you sing. Become familiar with great storytelling; thats where country comes from! Listen to professional storytellers on YouTube. Be willing to wear your heart on your sleeve. Audiences love when country singers share their feelings, and your credibility is based on your ability to be genuine.Famous Country Singers George JonesIn one of the most famous country songs of all time, the irreplaceableGeorge Jones exemplifies the all-important skills of storytelling and adown-to-earth singing style. Notice that there isnt a lot of vibrato here;its almost as if Jones is too busy telling a story to hold out a note andshow off!

Carrie Underwood

Both this song and this video are great examples of country images andtalk of American home-grown families and open hearts. Carrie, season 4winner of American Idol, knows just how to use her voice to a songsadvantage. She floats a note (sings it lightly) when its a tender momentand then sings with a heavier tone when its a heavier moment.

Loretta LynnThe ultimate story song, Coal Miners Daughter, was Loretta Lynnsbiggest hit. Is it the personable nature of the lyrics? Maybe. Take note ofhow similar her speaking voice (at the beginning of the video) is to hersinging voice. This can be achieved through the study of something calledspeech level singing.

Blues/JazzThe blues were born in the American south from the spirituals of slaves and thecall-and-response music of the Southern church. Think of jazz as its slightly moresophisticated child who never forgot its roots. Jazz singing is characterized byclear, speech level singing and distinct consonants, while blues singing has arough or rootsy edge to it, sometimes with a natural Southern accent.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Blues and Jazz Singers

You cant sing the blues and jazz right without knowing its history, in your mind and in your heart. Watch Ken Burns Jazz documentary and the Thelonius Monk documentary, Straight, No Chaser. Experiment with different vocal sounds, like pitch slides and scatting. Study up on your music theory, especially your chromatic scales.Famous Blues and Jazz Singers Cassandra Wilson

Though she may not be the best-selling jazz artist, Cassandra Wilson isconsidered by many to be the best living jazz singer. Her voice is perfectfor it rich, thoughtful, and focused. Notice at around 3:05, she begins touse pitch slides, perhaps to accentuate arather creepy part of a powerful jazz classic.

Sarah VaughanOnce described as having one of the most wondrous voices of the 20thcentury,Grammy award-winning Sarah Vaughan was known for a sensitive buteasy tone. Notice how almost nonchalant she is throughout Someone toWatch Over Me. At 2:15, Vaughan effortlessly shows off animpressive vocal range and some great improvisation skills, simplyby jumping up to a random note while remaining in the songs key.

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong is so important to jazz music that most experts agree thatit wouldnt have been developed, or even survived, without hiscontributions. Now some voice scientists and physicians might point to afew voice pathologies in Louis: that unusually rough voice. But here wehave a great example of a singer who loved what he did and knew how tomake people feel happy and entertained.

Hip HopHip hop, the heavily rhythmic and rhyming singing that often accompaniesrapping and beatboxing, emerged in the 1970s, and has grown steadily inpopularity since then. In fact, that popularity has turned into tremendous influenceon other singing genres, including pop and country. Its origins are many, but themost apparent are funk, disco, reggae, and the blues. Singers of hip hop arediverse, but the singing generally takes on an edgy, sometimes nasal qualities.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Hip Hop Singers

Know hip hops musical ancestry. Listen to a lot of funk, disco, reggae, soul, gospel, blues, and old-school hip hop. You dont have to become a rapper, but get comfortable switching between singing and speaking lyrics to help your versatility. Dont be afraid to experiment with different vocal sounds, like nasality and wordplay, to create your own signature style.Famous Hip Hop Singers Lauryn Hill

See if you can hear the songs Spanish and gospel influences. Despitethese varied sounds, Lauryn stays true to her own voice, which isstunningly consistent in tone and texture. Its important to listen toinfluences with respect, without allowing it to pressure you to imitateanyone.

BeyonceIn this heart-stopping acoustic performance of her hit Halo, Beyonce hasfull command of her voice. Its as if her voice is an arrow, she aims at thebulls eye, and hits it every time. In other words, her pitch is always rightand her transition between thelower register in the verses and the upperregister in the chorus is seamless.

Cee Lo Green

Originally, the hit Crazy was created and released by Gnarls Barkley, amusical duo consisting of rapper and hip hop singer Cee Lo Green andproducer Danger Mouse. In this video, Cee Lo sings the song at a muchslower tempo than the original, allowing for a lot of time for both theperformer and the listener to really think about the meaningful lyrics.Green is a fabulous singer, and here is an excellent example of the courageto reinvent a song, even your very own!

Adult ContemporaryAdult contemporary is such a unique genre, because singers from relativelydifferent genres often get put into this camp as well, or end up here at the heightof their career. Its essentially pop singing, but the lyrics are decidedly grown-up,or adult. Think of it as the Mom and Dad of teenage bubblegum pop. Youre notsinging, for example, about that party in the U.S.A. Youre singing about lifesexperiences gone by in the U.S.A., what youve learned, and the plans for yourfuture.

Adult contemporary has been called vanilla, bland and boring, but often, themost magnificent songs ever are forever embedded in its charts. This meanssinging at your best.

Tips & Vocal Exercises for Adult Contemporary Singers

Learn how to sing consistently with a well-supported sound and power will come naturally. Get into the habit of speaking the lyrics of the song out loud before singing them. Dont add too many effects to your voice; singing with whatever you have, in its truest form, is adult contemporary.Famous Adult Contemporary Singers Bruce Hornsby

This is a classic example of an adult contemporary theme the

songwriters here are reflecting on their own lives and on life in general.Bruce Hornsbys easy, almost-nonchalant style comes across as utterlyconversational, perfect for singing about down-to-earth themes.

Amy GrantAmy Grant successfully crossed over from contemporary Christianmusic (which she practically created herself) to pop and adultcontemporary. All the while, she never really changed her vocalsound. Throughout this video, she uses dynamics to her advantageto highlight certain words in the lyrics, like at the very end, whenshe gets tenderly quiet at the last I will remember you.

Final Words

Despite all of the ways that genres of music are different, one thing connectsthem all. All singing, at its very base, is simply sustained speech. And whilepractice are utterly essential to learning the different styles, just as important islistening to plenty of music, both in that style and in others. And when you listen,remember to keep not only your ears open, but also your heart. Thats whatmakes us artists.

So there you have it, the ultimate guide to singing styles! There are a lot of stylesand genres that I havent covered in this guide, which means you can still find theperfect fit for you. If you have additional questions, check in withyour singing teacher for help with finding your unique voice. Happy singing!